Roller Blind Device, Particularly for a Sliding Roof System

ABSTRACT

A roller blind device, in particular for a sliding roof system, having a roller blind web that, at least one end, can be wound by a winding device to form a roller blind winding, with the winding device comprising self-winding spiral springs that are connected to the roller blind web, with a winding shaping device being provided for shaping and/or guiding the roller blind winding, with the winding shaping device interacting with the roller blind web only in web regions of the roller blind web between the spiral springs.

The invention relates to a roller blind device, in particular for asliding roof system according to the preamble of claim 1.

DE 20 2005 006 415 U1 discloses an assembly having a roller blind andtwo spiral springs which extend along longitudinal edges of the rollerblind. The spiral springs are guided in guides. The roller blind devicehas a winding aid which interacts, behind the guides, with the spiralsprings. The roller blind assembly can be formed without a winding core.

EP 1 584 509 A2 discloses a roller blind for a sliding roof system inwhich a roller blind web can be wound automatically about a winding coreby means of spiral springs. A wall can be provided against which theroller blind winding runs.

In said roller blinds known from the prior art, it is disadvantageousthat, firstly, the variability of the spatial configuration of theroller blind winding is unsatisfactory. Secondly, the geometricadaptability or diversity of structural adaptability of such rollerblind devices to surrounding roof geometries is often inadequate.Furthermore, on account of the interaction of winding aids directly withthe spiral spring during the retraction and extension of the rollerblind, the latter can undesirably become jammed. This restricts theoperating comfort of the roller blind.

It is an object of the invention to specify a roller blind device whichis firstly of simple and cost-effective design and secondly enables ahigh degree of variability with regard to spatial shape and the contourof the roller blind winding and which can therefore be structurallyadapted to an extremely wide variety of external spatial requirements ina simple manner. Furthermore, the visual appearance and the operatingcomfort should be improved. Furthermore, it should be ensured that,during the operation of the roller blind, no jamming of the roller blindweb or other irregularities occur.

Said objects are achieved by means of a roller blind device having thefeatures of claim 1. The subclaims specify advantageous embodiments.

The invention makes use of the advantages of the self-winding spiralsprings, since a winding device of said type for roller blinds makes itpossible for the roller blind web to be wound without a winding core ina simple manner. Therefore, a core-free roller blind winding is formedin a region between two spiral springs which are responsible for windingthe roller blind web in a winding direction, which roller blind windinghas only roller blind web windings and, instead of the winding core ofconventional roller blind devices, has a cavity. In this way, the rollerblind winding can be deformed in terms of its spatial shape in a simplemanner in the regions between the spiral springs, and can in particularassume a spatial shape which deviates from a cylindrical orapproximately cylindrical shape. Furthermore, a longitudinal extent ofthe roller blind winding in space can be freely selected within widelimits since a winding-core-free roller blind winding composed only ofthe roller blind web can in a relatively simple manner be contoured, forexample curved, or arranged or guided in some other way which deviatesfrom a straight line. The invention utilizes this fact and provides, inregions between the self-winding spiral springs, a winding shapingdevice for shaping and guiding the roller blind winding.

Here, “shaping” of the roller blind winding is to be understood withinthe context of the invention to mean manipulation of the cross sectionof the roller blind winding. Within the context of the invention,“guidance” of the roller blind winding is to be understood to mean acontouring of the profile of the roller blind winding along itslongitudinal direction, in particular deviating from a straight line.Suitable for this purpose are, for example, curvatures which are matchedfor example to a roof profile in the vehicle transverse direction of avehicle. Below, therefore, the expression “shaping” refers to across-sectional spatial shape of the roller blind winding and theexpression “guidance” refers to the profile of an imaginary longitudinalcentral axis of the roller blind winding along its longitudinal extent.

Although the device according to the invention may theoretically beformed with a winding core, for example a flexible, rod-like centralcore of small diameter, it is without doubt particularly advantageousfor the roller blind device to be formed without a winding core. Thisprovides maximum freedom with regard to the shaping and guidance of theroller blind winding.

The winding shaping device for shaping and guiding the roller blindwinding has a winding space for holding, shaping and guiding the rollerblind web.

In the simplest conceivable embodiment, the winding space has anapproximately circular spatial shape in cross section.

It is nevertheless alternatively possible for the cross section of thewinding space to have a substantially oval, flattened shape, with animaginary major axis of the oval running in or parallel to the rollerblind web plane. In this way, a particularly flat design of the rollerblind winding is possible, as a result of which it is possible toachieve an installation space gain in the vehicle vertical direction inparticular when the roller blind device according to the invention isused as a roller blind for a sliding roof system of a motor vehicle.

It is nevertheless also advantageous in certain applications for themajor axis of the oval to be arranged substantially perpendicular to theweb plane, as a result of which it is possible to realize a relativelyshort design in relation to the winding and retraction direction of theroller blind device.

Depending on the application, it may also be expedient for the majoraxis of the oval cross section of the winding space to be inclined at anangle α of between 0° and 90° with respect to the roller blind webplane.

It may also be expedient to force the roller blind web to assumedifferent cross sectional shapes along its longitudinal extent. Forexample, it is advantageous for the cross section of the roller blindwinding to change progressively from for example an oval, flattenedspatial shape to a circular shape toward the edge of the roller blindweb in order to keep stresses to the edge regions of the roller blindweb, in which the spiral springs, which wind up in circular form, arearranged, as low as possible. In this way, it is possible to preventundesired folds from forming in the roller blind web.

In a further particular embodiment, an imaginary central longitudinalaxis of the winding space, in which the roller blind winding is arrangedand the roller blind winding wound up and unwound around said imaginaryline, has a spatial shape which deviates from a straight line, forexample a curvature. In this way, it is possible in particular by meansof the winding shaping device, in addition or alternatively to theshaping of the winding, to also provide guidance of the roller blindwinding by virtue of the winding space or the winding shaping devicewhich forms or borders the winding space to have a corresponding profilein space. For example, it is possible to provide matching to a roofcurvature. In this way, an installation space gain is achieved in avehicle vertical direction, in particular in interaction with adeformation, in particular flattening of the roller blind winding in thecentral region between the spiral springs.

To reduce the number of individual parts required, it is particularlyadvantageous for the winding shaping device to be integrated in orformed on a roof frame.

To keep force influences of the winding shaping device on the rollerblind web in the edge region of the roller blind web as low as possible,and therefore prevent possible fold formations in the edge region, inparticular in the transition region to the spiral springs, it isadvantageous for the winding shaping device to be arranged with aminimum spacing a to the spiral springs in the roller blind webtransverse direction.

The minimum spacing a is advantageously 5 mm to 40 mm, in particular 5mm to 25 mm. At any rate, it is intended according to the invention toprevent contact interaction between the winding shaping device and thespiral springs at the edge of the roller blind web, or if appropriatespiral springs in regions within the roller blind web.

The winding shaping device is preferably of shell-shaped orchannel-shaped design or borders a winding space virtually completelyand leaves free only an inlet or outlet slot for the roller blind web.

According to a further embodiment, the winding shaping device is formedfrom a multiplicity of substantially clasp-like individual devices whichextend in each case over only a small longitudinal extent of the rollerblind winding. It is if appropriate also possible for gaps to beprovided between the individual winding shaping device individual parts,in which gaps the roller blind winding runs freely, that is to say doesnot interact with a winding shaping device.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of thedrawing by way of an example. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a roller blind deviceaccording to the invention in a perspective illustration;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a sectional illustration along the line A-Afrom FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a second alternative illustration of the cross-sectionalspatial shape according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a third alternative of the cross-sectional spatial shapeaccording to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a fourth alternative of the cross-sectional spatial shapeaccording to FIG. 2, and

FIG. 6 schematically shows a perspective illustration of a windingshaping device for a roller blind device according to the inventionintegrated into a roof frame of a sliding roof.

A roller blind device 1 according to the invention has a roller blindweb 2 which can be wound and unwound at least at one end about a windingaxis 3 in a winding direction 4. In this way, a roller blind winding 5is formed around the winding axis 3. Self-winding spiral springs 7 areconnected to the roller blind web 2 at longitudinal edges 6 of theroller blind web 2. The spiral springs 7 may if appropriate be guided inguide rails (not shown), with the spiral springs 7 automatically rollingup into a spiral 8 about the winding axis 3.

A winding shaping device 9 is arranged between the spiral springs 7,that is to say in the region of the roller blind web 2. In a firstembodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 6, the winding shaping device 9 isof substantially channel-shaped design and extends in a transversedirection 10 of the roller blind device in a region between the spiralsprings 7, without interacting with said spiral springs 7. For thispurpose, a first free end region 11 and a second free end region 12 ofthe winding device 9 are arranged with a minimum spacing a to the spiralspring 7. The minimum spacing a is advantageously between 5 mm and 40mm, in particular between 5 mm and 25 mm. The minimum spacing a may beof equal size or of different sizes at both sides of the roller blindweb 2. The winding shaping device 9 borders a winding space 13 (cf. FIG.2) in which the roller blind winding 5 is held in the partially orcompletely wound state of the roller blind web 2. The roller blindwinding 5 has no winding core in the described exemplary embodiment. Thewinding axis 3 is therefore not to be understood as a geometricallyclearly defined winding axis but rather as a substantially resultantwinding axis which, on account of the softness and deformability of theroller blind winding 5 formed from the roller blind web 2, has animaginary profile within the winding space 13.

Such an imaginary and desired profile of the winding axis 3 can beinfluenced by means of the spatial shape of the winding shaping device 9along the transverse direction 10 of the roller blind winding 5. It ispossible, for example, for a curvature of the winding shaping device 9along the transverse direction 10 to lead to a curved arrangement orcurved guidance of the roller blind winding 5, so as in particular toenable matching of the roller blind winding profile in the transversedirection 10 to a roof curvature of a vehicle. In the case in particularof particularly wide roller blind devices, that is to say in the case ofroller blind devices with a particularly large extent in the transversedirection 10, it is possible by means of suitable shaping of the windingshaping device 9 to provide a contouring of the winding axis 3 of theroller blind winding 5. For example, it is possible for a substantiallystraight profile of the roller blind winding 5 to firstly be obtained inedge regions of the roller blind web 2. A curved section can becontoured between the straight regions of the roller blind winding 5. Inthis way, it is for example possible to obtain a substantiallyroof-shaped design of the roller blind device 1. It is thereforepossible by means of the winding shaping device 9 to provide acontouring, that is to say guidance according to the invention, of theroller blind winding 5 and to manipulate the profile of the winding axis3.

FIG. 2 shows a possible approximately circular cross-sectional spatialshape of the winding shaping device 9 along the section line A-A inFIG. 1. Said section is situated approximately in the center of theroller blind winding 5 in relation to its longitudinal extent in thetransverse direction 10. The winding shaping device 9 borders thewinding space 13, in which the roller blind winding 5 is arranged, insubstantially the form of a channel. The winding shaping device 9 has afree edge 14 which points in the winding direction 4, in particular inthe pulling-out direction of the roller blind web 2.

The free edge 14 is assigned a stop rib 15 whose free edge 16 pointscounter to the pulling-out direction 4. The stop rib 15 serves, as theroller blind web 2 is pulled out, that is to say as the roller blind web2 is pulled off the roller blind winding 5, as a stop for the rest ofthe rolled winding and ensures that the roller blind web 2 is unwoundwithout becoming jammed.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the winding space 13 of thewinding shaping device 9 has an approximately circular spatial shape incross section, such that an approximately circular roller blind winding5 is formed as the roller blind web 2 is wound.

According to a further embodiment of the invention (FIG. 3), thecross-sectional spatial shape of the winding space 13 is of oval,flattened design, with a major axis HA of the oval being alignedapproximately parallel to the plane of extent of the roller blind web 2.The minor axis NA is arranged approximately vertically with respect tothe roller blind web 2. Such an embodiment makes it possible to generatea pronounced flattening of the roller blind winding 5 for example in thecentral region of the roller blind winding 5 between the spiral springs7. In this way, it is possible to achieve considerable installationspace gains in the vehicle vertical direction, for example, if theroller blind device is used as a sunshield device for sliding roofsystems.

In a further embodiment according to FIG. 4, the cross-sectional spatialshape of the winding shaping device 9 is likewise substantially oval,with the major axis HA being approximately perpendicular to the webplane of the roller blind web 2. Accordingly, the minor axis NA isarranged substantially parallel to the roller blind web plane. Althoughthis entails a taller structural shape in a direction perpendicular tothe roller blind web plane, it is for example possible for an overallstructural length of the roller blind device 1 to be minimized.

Furthermore, it is shown in FIG. 4 that the major axis HA of the oval ofthe winding space 13 may also be arranged at an angle α with respect tothe normal to the roller blind web plane. In this way, optimum matchingto external geometric features is made possible in a simple manner. Theangle α may lie in the range between 0° and 90°, with it also beingpossible for the angle α to vary along the transverse direction 10, suchthat it is possible to realize a helical “twisting” of the winding spacein the transverse direction 10.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 4, the roller blind winding 5is arranged relative to the roller blind web 2 or roller blind web planesuch that the roller blind web plane extends away from the roller blindwinding 5 approximately tangentially. This means that the roller blindwinding 5 or the winding axis 3 of the roller blind winding 5 is at anyrate arranged offset with respect to the roller blind web plane. If thisis not desired, then it is possible by means of the cross-sectionalshaping according to FIG. 5 for the winding axis 3 to be arrangedapproximately at the level of the roller blind web plane. In this way,the roller blind web 2 is firstly deflected out of the plane of theroller blind web 2 before being wound on the roller blind winding 5. Theroller blind web 2 then passes into a winding space 13 which isapproximately droplet-shaped in cross section.

All the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 to 5 have in common the factthat the winding shaping device 9 is formed for example with a cover 9 awhich virtually completely surrounds the roller blind winding 5 andleaves free a slot opening 17 from which the roller blind web 2 canemerge. Such a cover 9 a is optional. It is also possible for the rollerblind winding 5 to be shaped and guided by means of a channel-shapeddesign of the winding shaping device 9 without a cover 9 a, since theroller blind winding 5 can be flattened in one region for example bymeans of the influence of gravity alone.

It is particularly advantageous for the cross section of the windingspace 3 which is bordered or defined by the winding shaping device 9 tobe of variable design along the transverse direction 10. It is forexample possible for a flattened spatial shape according to FIG. 3 or ashortened spatial shape according to FIG. 4 to be provided approximatelyin the center between the spiral springs 7 in the transverse direction10, and for the roller blind winding 5 to be shaped in an increasinglycircular manner toward the spiral springs 7. This results in continuousand slow, smooth matching of the roller blind winding cross section tothe winding cross section of the spiral springs 7 which are arranged atthe edge. In this way, an undesired formation of folds is prevented inparticular.

FIG. 6 shows a possible arrangement of the winding shaping device 9 asan integrally formed or integral constituent part of a roof frame 19 ofa sliding roof arrangement for a motor vehicle. The free end regions 11and 12 are arranged here such that free spaces 20 are formed in whichthe spiral springs 7 can wind and unwind freely without interacting withthe winding shaping device 9. This in particular minimizes the number ofcomponents for forming a sunshield roller blind for sliding roofarrangements.

FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate a winding shaping device 9, 9 a which issubstantially formed in one piece in the transverse direction 10. It isnevertheless also possible for a multiplicity of individual windingshaping devices 9, which are for example of approximately clamp-like orclasp-like design, to be provided instead of a single, continuouswinding shaping device 9, 9 a. It is by all means also possible for gapsor spacings to be provided between the individual clasp-like windingshaping devices 9, in which gaps or spacings the roller blind winding 5runs freely without being guided or shaped. Such an embodiment isdescribed and illustrated for example in the applicant's German patentapplication 10 2007 021 049. The content of said patent application, thepriority of which is hereby claimed, is expressly included in thepresent patent application.

The roller blind device according to the invention may in particularalso have rotatably mounted winding elements which interact with theconstant-force spring or with the spiral spring 7. Winding elements ofsaid type are designed, for example in the German patent application 102007 021 049, as bolts. The entire content of the German patentapplication DE 10 2007 041 296.9 is also included in this patentapplication. The present roller blind device according to the inventionmay of course also be easily combined with attachments, which have guidetracks, on guide rails according to said German patent application.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1 Roller blind device-   2 Roller blind web-   3 Winding axis-   4 Winding direction-   5 Roller blind winding-   6 Longitudinal edges-   7 Spiral springs-   8 Spiral-   9 Winding shaping device-   9 a Cover-   10 Transverse direction-   11 First free end region-   12 Second free end region-   13 Winding space-   14 Free edge-   15 Stop rib-   16 Free edge-   17 Slot opening-   19 Roof frame-   20 Free spaces-   HA Major axis-   NA Minor axis-   a Minimum spacing-   αAngle

1. A roller blind device, having a roller blind web that, at least oneend, can be wound by a winding device to form a roller blind winding,with the winding device comprising self-winding spiral springs that areconnected to the roller blind web, wherein a winding shaping device isprovided for shaping and/or guiding the roller blind winding, with thewinding shaping device interacting with the roller blind web only in webregions of the roller blind web between the spiral springs.
 2. Theroller blind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roller blinddevice is formed without a winding core.
 3. The roller blind device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the winding shaping device has a windingspace for holding the roller blind winding.
 4. The roller blind deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding space has a substantiallycircular shape in cross section.
 5. The roller blind device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the winding space has a flattened, oval shape incross section.
 6. The roller blind device as claimed in claim 5, whereina major axis of the oval, flattened cross section runs substantiallyparallel to or in a web plane of the roller blind web.
 7. The rollerblind device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the major axis runssubstantially normally with respect to the web plane of the roller blindweb.
 8. The roller blind device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the majoraxis runs so as to be inclined at an angle α with respect to the webplane of the roller blind web.
 9. The roller blind device as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the winding space has a cross-sectional spatial shapethat varies in cross section in a transverse direction of the rollerblind winding.
 10. The roller blind device as claimed in claim 3,wherein a cross section of the winding space approaches a circularspatial shape in the direction of the spiral springs.
 11. The rollerblind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of windingshaping devices are arranged along the roller blind winding.
 12. Theroller blind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding shapingdevice is integrally formed on or integrated in a roof frame.
 13. Theroller blind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding formingdevice is contoured, along the longitudinal extent of the roller blindwinding.
 14. The roller blind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein freeend regions of the winding shaping device have a minimum spacing fromthe spiral springs in a roller blind web transverse direction.
 15. Theroller blind device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding shapingdevice substantially completely surrounds the roller blind winding andhas a slot opening for the roller blind web.
 16. The roller blind deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding shaping device is ofsubstantially shell-like or channel-like design.
 17. The roller blinddevice as claimed in claim 13, wherein the winding forming device iscurved along the longitudinal extent of the roller blind winding.